Butler Swap
by vampire viva
Summary: After another one of Ciel's pranks on Sebastian, it is decided that Sebastian and Hayate will swap households for a fortnight! How will they cope in each other's world? What strangeness, fun and mischief will ensue?
1. Chapter 1: Meet the Family: Japan

**Butler Swap**

**Chapter 1: Meet the family, Japan**

Why did Bocchan have to arrange such a thing. I know he likes to test me from time to time, but really this is too much, Sebastian thought to himself with a sigh. Sending me to another country like that, another time period as well. For me, it's not impossible but it's very troublesome. I hope Bocchan doesn't try and do anything to get himself killed while I'm away. He sighed again.

Sebastian was standing inconspicuously against a wall in his usually tailored clothes. He was watching a small girl yelling angrily at a large box with moving pictures, he had been informed that this box was called a "television" and had received and incredulous look from the girl for his effort. Sebastian has suddenly found himself in the 21th century on an impossibly large estate in suburban Tokyo, under the employ of a Nagi Sanzenin. From what he had observed of her so far, she hardly ever left the mansion and instead lazed about the mansion all day playing games and reading "manga". He had been lead to believe that the correct terms to describe Nagi were "hikikomori" and "otaku". What strange words these Japanese had. He could, of course, speak Japanese fluently, but it had been awhile and a long time in the past.

He noticed that the sounds from the TV had stopped as he surfaced from his musings. He looked toward the screen to find it had been turned off and the controller had been discarded on the floor. He saw the Nagi was looking at him impatiently.

"Yes, ojousama?" he asked politely.

"I'm bored," Nagi declared. "I want to play with Tama."

"He should be out in the grounds, by the lake or swimming pool, perhaps. I'll go fetch your hat, one moment."

They found Tama sprawled on a deck chair by the side of the pool. As they had approached, Sebastian had seen Tama hastily shove a book, a cocktail glass and sunglasses under the chair and his eyes had narrowed. When Nagi had rounded the corner, Tama was sprawled on that deck chair, every inch a sunbathing cat.

"Tama!" Nagi called.

Tama looked up from where he was lounging, got up and raced towards Nagi, before rubbing his face enthusiastically on her legs. Nagi patted his head lovingly and it wasn't long til Tama was purring contentedly. Sebastian moved back a bit to give the pair some more room while looking at Tama's strong, sleek, if slightly tubby form admiringly.

After a few moments, Tama noticed the butler and pulled away from Nagi. She was surprised by his sudden movement and turned to look at him, to find him standing rigid with feet spread apart and body bristling with pent up power. A low threatening growl was coming from the back of his throat, the full force of which was directed at Sebastian. Sebastian looked on calmly, a look of mild interest on his face. His red eyes gleamed as he looked at the deadly beautiful feline form in front of him.

Without warning, the tiger leaped at the butler, who moved imperceptibly out of the way of the attack. The tiger then soared comically though the air into the convenient bushes behind the butler with a crash and a thud. Sebastian turned to face the crumbled vegetation, surveying it with some dismay. He was probably the one who was going to have to fix it, or at least organise for someone else to. The tiger emerged from the bushes and again growled at Sebastian, his haunches raised. Sebastian gave Tama **that** look, the one that let a glimpse his inner nature to the surface, that of a demon. He seemed to be saying : "I'll deal with you later."

Tama stopped growling and sat down suddenly with a thump. Who exactly is this guy? He has a strange aura that can't quite be defined but feels cruel and evil. Tama shivered slightly. He didn't want that sort of guy around Nagi, which is why he had instinctively attacked. Nagi's voice broke off his train of thought. She had moved forward to stand beside Sebastian, who was now smiling politely, and glanced between the two.

"Tama, this is Sebastian. He'll be working here for the next couple of weeks, on a sort of butler exchange. Play nice, okay?"

That evening, he had finished his chores and Nagi had been put to bed, on his way to his room is was accosted by the tiger.

"Who are you?" asked Tama, who was now upright.

"I'm just a hell of a butler," came the reply, with a polite smile.

He didn't seem surprised to find the tiger talking, who commented as much.

Sebastian shrugged slightly. "Should I be surprised?"

Tama nodded. "That kid, Hayate, was. It was very funny, actually."

Sebastian shrugged again. "I have the utter most respect for cats. Now if you'll excuse me, I suggest we stay out of each other's way for the rest of my time here. Bocchan thinks up the most troublesome pranks. Goodnight." He shook his head slightly and strode off down the corridor.

**This is my first fan fic and I don't do a lot of writing...**

**I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter, and I'll try and add more humour to later chapters. Sorry if the characters are a bit OOCish. I need to watch some more Hayate no Gotoku.**

**I'm looking forward to putting Seb and Hayate in awkward and potentially dangerous situations .**


	2. Chapter 2: Meet the Family: England

**Chapter 2: Meet the family, England.**

Hayate was feeling overwhelmed. He had arrived at the sprawling Phantomhive estate, about an hour out of London, with England's typically gloomy weather. It had gotten his spirits down and made him worry about the job ahead. He had entered through the front grand doors and was greeted by the sight of the household servants standing, slightly agitated, by the stairs. He was then taken to the study to meet the master of the house.

The earl was seated behind a solid oak desk on a high back chair. Hayate was taken back. Ciel Phantomhive was immaculately dressed in his usually tailored ensemble, arms resting casually on the arms of his chair, he emitted and aura of nobility and power and determination, and beneath that something a little bit...dangerous. The young earl's piercing gaze made him feel uncomfortable and he shifted slightly. Hayate wondered just what had happened to this boy to make him so hard. He also wondered about the eye patch over his right eye that was partially obscured by the earl's raven coloured hair, but it was a mystery that would most likely remain unsolved – Hayate wasn't going to ask about it, he didn't have the right, but he felt that it has to do with why the boy was so hard. After a moment of scrutiny, the earl gave a slight nod and Hayate gave an internal sigh of relief.

"I am Ciel Phantomhive, welcome the Phantomhive Estate. I hope the servants have shown you around the manor. You'll have to watch them closely, they really are very incompetent and I don't know why I keep them on sometimes."

Hayate hesitated, then spoke. "Why do you keep them on, if they're so bad?"

Ciel shrugged. "It's true they are very incompetent but they are utterly loyal to me and would protect me and this manor with their lives." He fingered the signet ring on his hand.

Hayate felt a shiver gone down his spine. Who was this boy? He opened his mouth to speak again, but Ciel got in first and began explaining the temporary butler's duties.

"Well, if you understand your duties you should go and prepare dinner. If you have any problems see Tanaka or me."

And with that he was dismissed. Hayate bowed and quietly left the room in search of the kitchen.

Hayate opened the kitchen door to find a disaster zone. The entire kitchen, along with the servants, was covered in flour. Broken eggs lay in a forlorn pile on the bench, their innards in a sticky goo. Smashed crockery lay scattered around the floor. The servants were milling in an aimless panic with Meylene fretting over the broken crockery, Bard looking at the burnout flare in his hand disparagingly and Finny was milling for the sake of milling although he may have had something to do with the mess of eggs. After a few moments the servant noticed Hayate standing, still frozen with shock, in the doorway and looked at him and then all at once rushed him. He suddenly found himself surrounded by a wall of noise. He was feeling very overwhelmed. Ciel has warned him about the servants but he didn't think that anything would this quickly or on this scale. He had only just arrived! He felt himself begin to tear up. How was he going to cope?

'So cute!' the servants thought in unison and continued to stare at him. Bard lit a cigarette.

"Umm," Hayate said hesitantly. "Can I get you to clean up and let me deal with dinner? Bard, can you show me where the pantry is?"

After the servants had finished cleaning and were evacuated from the kitchen, Hayate finally was in his element. He somehow managed to get things together and presented Ciel that past the test, although it wasn't his usual fare. Hayate heaved a sigh of relief and the rest of the evening past relatively uneventfully. A few hours later after he had finished his duties and Ciel had long since gone to bed, Hayate collapsed exhausted onto his bed. The day had been too long.

**Thank you for reading this chapter. Feedback is very much appreciated, so please review! This chapter was a little shorter than the first but hopeful this story will get better now that I've introduced the main players. Please tell me if there are any errors, so I can fix them. I hope this chapter wasn't too unoriginal...**

**Frankly, I'm feeling rather sorry for Hayate right now, I think he got the short end of the stick. Sebastian is going: 'ah, this is annoying' while Hayate is going: 'ah. Help me!'**

**I think I've written enough now... I have many awkward situations prepared for the two butlers... *evil grin***


	3. Chapter 3: A Visitor: Japan

**Hi again, sorry for the wait in getting this chapter up. I forgot a disclaimer in the earlier chapters, so here it is now: I own nothing. Anyway, please enjoy.**

Chapter 3: A Visitor, England

Sebastian found himself being summoned to Nagi's room, where she was engrossed in one of her games. He knocked on the door and discretely entered the room. Without taking her eyes from the TV screen, she spoke: "Good, you're here. Now you can go and find Isumi." Already dismissing him.

"Are we expecting guests, Oujosama?"

"Yes, and she's late. Probably got lost again, so you need to go find her."

"And what does Isumi look like?"

"She always wears a kimono and will be lost looking. She's hard to miss."

"Well then, if you'll excuse me." Sebastian bowed, turned and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him, leaving his mistress to her gaming.

Sebastian unerringly found her in less than five minutes after he had left the mansion. He had found her about a block from the Sanzenin estate. She was the epitome of 'lost'. Before him stood - or perhaps fluttered - a girl in a lilac kimono with a purple shawl with straight, long black hair. She was shuffling backward and forwards over a small distance as if she could not decide which way she should go, her hands were clasped to her chest and head turning every which way as if suddenly a landmark she recognised would appear while she wasn't looking, she was looking very flustered. This was definitely the Isumi that he had been asked to find. Sebastian took another moment to observe her before taking a few steps forward into her line of sight, and waited.

It took Isumi a few moments to notice the black butler who was silently watching her. She stopped her pacing and looked at him, her eyes slightly narrowed. Her body stiffened and her stance became confrontational. She reached slowly into the sleeve of her kimono and pulled out some slips of paper covered in intricate writing. She chose one and held it up in front of her, pointing it at the butler. She started muttering, looking determinedly at the figure in front of her.

"Excuse me, oujosan, what are you doing?" His face showed slight concern and he smiled pleasantly at her. Whatever it was that the girl was doing, it bothered him. He felt an unpleasant needling in his soul, that only she could be the source of. He frowned inwardly, and his disguise was supposed to be perfect. How had this girl know that he was something outside the ordinary?

The girl ignored the query and instead selected another strip of paper and brandished it at Sebastian.

The sensation was painful now. It felt to Sebastian as if something was trying to pull his soul from his body. He liked pain, but not when his entire _existence _was at risk. He maintained his polite smile, took a step towards the girl, tilting his head to one side enquiringly. He addressed her again, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

The girl looked from him to the piece of paper in her hand with confusion. After a moment, she meekly slipped the seals back into her kimono sleeve. The agony in Sebastian's soul dissipated. He relaxed imperceivably.

"Are you Isumi?"

"Yes, I'm Isumi Saginomiya. Who are you? You're not a bad spirit, are you?"

"I am Sebastian Michaelis, and no, I'm just a hell of a butler. Nagi-oujosan sent me to escort you." Sebastian bowed as he introduced himself. "What was it that you were trying to do?"

Isumi mumbled a reply.

"Oh I see. So you thought I was a bad spirit and was trying to exorcise me? Well that was certaily a novel experience." And one I don't want to have again, he thought, I'll have to be careful around this one.

She gave a small nod, then asked: "Where is Hayate-sama?"

"He has gone on a trip to England, a kind of butler exchange. I am here in his place. Shall we go?"

They returned to the mansion without mishap. They found Nagi in one of the rooms used for entertaining seated at a table with Sakuya and Wataru in the middle of tea. Sebastian pulled out the chair in front of the empty place and motioned for Isumi to sit. After she had sat down he poured her a cup of tea and placed it in front of her and replaced the tea pot on the trolley. He was about to discretely disappear into the background when Sakuya stopped him.

"So this is your new butler?" It was directed at Nagi and was said more as a statement than a question, but Sebastian answered it anyway.

"That is correct. My name is Sebastian Michaelis." He bowed in her direction.

"Oh, well then you can entertain me. Make me laugh."

From the corner of his eye he saw Nagi sigh and shake her head. Sakuya was looking at him with such eagerness that he sighed inwardly and said "very well" as he approached her. He bent forward and whispered something into her ear, one hand concealing his mouth. After a moment he stepped away with a slight smile. Sakuya sat motionless for a long second in shock, her mouth forming a small 'o', when she burst into a rage of laughter.

She did not calm down for several minutes, in which the others looked at her in confusing, with glances at the butler who had maintained his smile. Sakuya was wiping the tears from her eyes and clutching at her stomach, still grinning widely. "Wow. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard. He's on a whole other level from Hayate. Can I have him?" to which Nagi just glared. Sakuya nodded to the butler, who bowed and retreated to back of the room in case he was needed again until tea was over and the guests had gone.

**Sebastian got exorcised. I've had this story lined up since I thought of the idea for 'Butler Swap'. I added on the scene on the end cos I thought the chapter wasn't long enough .**

**The next Seb chapter will be about his initiation by Claus, which probably have come before this one...but I had to write this chapter!**

**I've been watching Hayate no Gotoku 2 and have just about finished it and am happy that KSII has started. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long but I'm starting uni again soon and I get distracted very easily, so we'll see.**

**Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Party: England

AN: Thank you to everyone who has been patiently reading this and sorry for taking so long to update. This is a long chapter and it's been on the go for a while. Once again, I do not own any of the characters. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it.

**Chapter 4: The Party, England**

They had returned from a trip into town to run some errands to find the house, once again, prettified. It was absolutely glowing with cuteness. Ciel froze in the entrance of the manor waiting for the tell-tale sound.

"Ci-e-l~"

A moment later he was glomped by a girl with tightly curls blonde hair wearing a frilly dress, who began to swing him around the room with a look of such delight on her face. Hayate looked at the scene slightly shocked, while the other servants looked on in resignation; they had already been attacked by the girl.

"I missed you, Ciel," the girl said, after she had put Ciel down who looked at her with unfocused eyes, swaying slightly.

"Lizzy! What are you doing here?" Ciel asked, looking at his fiancé sternly, thinking: _not again_. "Does Aunt know where you are?"

She pouted. "Of course I got permission, silly. Auntie Angelina said it was time you had a ball, and I'm organising it. It's going to be so cute!"

Ciel sighed. He knew he wasn't going to able to stop this, especially with Lizzy and Madame Red ganging up. "Fine," he said gruffly, "have you organised the guest list, entertainment, catering?" Lizzy looked despondent, she clearly hadn't even considered these things. Ciel decided to press home his advantage – maybe he could get out of this after all. "So then how do you suppose we hold a ball if no one's going to come and they have nothing to do when they get here?"

Lizzy looked even more depressed. "That's true, isn't it..." She thought about it for another moment then suddenly brightened. "It's alright though, we still have time. I'll do the invitations and you can do the food and music. There, it's decided."

_Damn_, Ciel thought, _I was so close_. He sighed again, and called for his butler. "Hayate, you need to organise an orchestra for tonight as well as food for..." He shot a question Lizzy. "...for about a dozen guests."

Hayate bowed and left, and went looking for a list of contacts that Sebastian should have kept to try and track down an orchestra last minute. He finally found what he was looking for in Sebastian's desk draw. The first group he contacted were very reluctant to accept the job and were on the point of refusing him until he told them who he was. After that they readily agreed after that after a fervent apology for not realising who he was. He put down the phone looking thoughtful, _just who was this boy to hold so much sway? It surely couldn't just be the reputation of his predecessor or his title._ With the orchestra sorted he went to find the other servants to see if they had progressed at all with the preparation of the mansion for tonight ball, or at the very least hadn't destroyed anything.

He found the servants in the kitchen with Bard about to burn down the kitchen and the majority of the food store with his flame thrower. He had a pair of goggles over his eyes and a look of grim concentration on his face. "Here we go―" he called to the other two, who curled themselves into balls, knowing what was about to happen. Before he could set the thing off, Hayate sighed and tapped him on the shoulder. Bard jumped and turned to look at Hayate guiltily and after a moment Finny and Maylene deemed it safe to extract themselves for their respective balls.

"What are you doing?"

Bard continued to look at Hayate guiltily, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "I-I-I was just trying to cook this meat..." He trailed off and then when Hayate didn't respond he said quietly: "with my flame thrower."

"I'm sure you've been told not to use the flame thrower for cooking. Leave the cooking to me." Hayate pulled a piece of paper from a pocket and gave it to Bard, gently taking the offending weapon from him. "If you want to make yourself useful, please layout the ballroom as shown on the diagram I just gave you. Take your time, there's no need to hurry, and please try not to break anything." Bard looked from the piece of paper in hand to the smiling face of the butler and shrugged and went to go and do his newly assigned task with one last longing look at his flame thrower.

After Bard had left, the other servants looked at Hayate expectantly.

"Um, is there anything we can do?" asked Maylene tentatively. "Sebastian never lets us do anything."

"Maylene, could you get me some large platters for the food and then some wine from the cellars and bring them to me. Finnian, would you like to help Bardroy with the ballroom, there are some heavy things there so be careful. I'm sure you two can manage that."

Their eyes glittered at being given something to do and with smiles on their faces and an enthusiastic "yessir!" they left too. Hayate scanned the kitchen and scoured the pantry seeing what supplies were available to him. He piled the things he needed onto the bench, the decisions made about what he was going to make. His hands moved in a blur, knife blade flashing as he chopped ingredients and piled them into bowls. The kitchen heated up as he tossed together food on the stove, flames and food spiralling up into the air. He had just finished when Maylene came into the kitchen carefully carrying a large stack of plates. He quickly took them off her hands before she could drop any and deftly arranged the food on the dishes.

After he'd tidied up her checked the time and sighed. There was so little time and so much to do; guests would be arriving in a couple of hours. He went off in search of Bard and Finny and found them, surprisingly, where they were supposed to be and even more surprisingly that just about finished arranging the ballroom without appearing to have broken anything. He surveyed the room as the servants continued to work, straightening the occasional piece of furniture. He saw that the pair had done a reasonable job. The doorbell rang so he left them to finish off.

When he answered the door, it turned out to be the orchestra. He led them through the mansion to the ballroom and got some food and water for them and left them to set up. By this time the servant had finished their assigned tasks and Bard and Finny followed Hayate into the entrance hall where he began speed cleaning. They were joined a few moments later by a slightly out of breath Maylene. He was a blur of movement; the servants - who could only look on in admiration, mouths hanging open - only seeing after images. Hayate returned to in front of the trio leaving the hall sparkling in his wake.

He returned to the kitchen to make final food preparations having dismissed the others, telling them to go and get ready for the ball. He heard the ring of a bell and knew he was being summoned by Lizzy. He set aside what he was doing and went to investigate. He knock on the door of the guest room Lizzy was using and after a moment entered. He saw Lizzy in the middle of the room, smiling happily at him, already ready for the party.

"Is something the matter, Lady Elizabeth?" he asked curious as there seemed to be nothing wrong with the scene in from of him and she didn't appear to need anything. He felt a presence behind him and began to turn around and gets hit solidly in the back of the head before he can see who it is. Hayate tumbled to the ground, consciousness fraying as blackness enveloped him and his thoughts slipped away.

* * *

Hayate awoke in a darkened room with a headache. He lay stretched out on a bed. He could make out the outlines of the furniture in the room from the moonlight from the rising moon streaming through the curtains. He sat up groggily, his head pounding, and gingerly felt his head, his fingers finding the lump on the back of his head. As he retracted his hands his fingers brushed something soft and silky protruding from his head. He frowned and explored the object on his head with his fingertips, discovering small curved triangles covered in a short silken fur attached to a band. Under that band lay a strip of frilly fabric with lacy edges running from ear to ear flattening the hair underneath it.

He looked down at himself and his eyes widened in shock. Gone was his usual suit and necktie and in its place was a while pinafore with ruffled hems over a sky blue dress with puffed sleeves and flared skirt that went to his knees. It was an exquisite dress but it was not something he wanted to wear or be seen wearing. He scrambled off the bed and began fervently searching the room for his clothes. He turned the whole room upside down, throwing the contents of the wardrobe onto the floor, up-ending the drawers in the desk, but there was no sign of his clothes. He pulled open the door and staggered out into the corridor. Hayate heard the distant tolling of bells. It took a moment for the meaning of the bells to sink into his still groggy head. It was time for the ball. He didn't have time to search for his clothes. He slowly made his way to the ballroom, reluctant to show himself like this but he had no other option.

* * *

Hayate pulled open the double doors to the ballroom and was assaulted by the colour and sound emanating from the room, sending his still tender head spinning. He crossed the threshold, quietly closing the door behind him. The hall was ablaze with colour. Looking around him he saw many unfamiliar faces as well as the few familiar ones. To the side he sees the servants eyeing off the food but enjoying themselves. Towards the back he notices Lizzy in animated conversation with a bored looking Ciel. There wasn't anyone out on the dance floor yet and the orchestra was playing in the background. A loud lyrical laugh brought his attention to a small group of people with a voluptuous woman at its centre her head thrown back in carefree laughter. She was lounged in a chair and wore exclusively red, a half empty wine glass in one hand and a fan in the other which she was using to beckon a tall thin man with glasses and a long pony tail who was standing in front of the wall behind her. Next to the woman dressed in red stood a man in Chinese dress with a young woman wearing a very short China dress that accentuated her features clinging to his arm. The man was smiling and he was looking at the woman in red and laughing at her jokes but he seemed to be alert and constantly scanning the room.

Hayate went over to the food and drink tables and collected a tray of drinks, passing the servants on the way who watch him as he passes.

"Waah! Cute," cried Finny. To which Maylene nodded fiercely, a tendril on blood leaking out of one nostril. Bard looked on unimpressed but his eyes followed the boy as he made his way with his drinks towards the Earl. "I wonder who that maid is." Bard thought aloud.

Hayate reached his master and his lady and offered them both non alcoholic beverages, commenting on how beautiful Elizabeth looked in her dress. Ciel frowns slightly as he looks at the 'maid', he doesn't recall ever employing anyone like this...but there is something familiar about her.

Lizzy bobbed her head in acknowledgement of the compliment, her eyes sparkling as her cute radar went crazy as she took in the maid dress, cat ears and the hint of a cat tail peeping out from behind the dress. "Wai! So cutttteee~!" cried Lizzy almost bursting with excitement. "You look so cute, miss."

Hayate looked startled. And then relieved. It seemed he hadn't been recognised at least. He smiled at her dazzlingly, enchantingly and bobbed a small curtsy. Lizzy was left reeling from the force of his smile as he moved on, an after image left on her retinas from its brilliance.

The 'maid' was now approaching the cluster of people. He offered her drinks tray to the Chinese man. He waited uncomfortably as the man inspected him through hooded eyes. Hayate stood firm under his gaze but gave an inward sigh of relief when he grinned at him and took two glasses, giving one to his companion, who Hayate now realised had also been inspecting him.

Hayate moved on, with a mental shake, and approached the woman in the centre of the cluster of men, offering her a wine glass. She looked up at him from her reclined position and gracefully look the glass from him muttering her thanks and turned back to her admirers and continued with whatever story it was she had been telling. Hayate looked up, sensing eyes on him and looked around discretely. His eyes locked on the man who he had assumed to be the woman's butler. The man was eyeing him with a calculating look and quiet yet creepy smile playing on his features and the soft lighting of the hall glinting off his glasses. It gave the thin man and aura of menace. It was gone a moment later when the man realised Hayate was looking dead at him. Hayate was shaken from his ponderings by tugging on his sleeve. The red woman was offering him his empty glass. He took it and placed it on the tray, giving her another of the same. She took the glass with one hand and grabbed onto him with the other stopping him from pulling away.

"Let me have a good look at you," the woman muttered, dragging him in front of her. Hayate took the opportunity to study the woman properly. Her face was already slightly flushed from drink even though the evening had barely begun. Cropped vivid red hair framed her face as she peered at the boy intensely. Suddenly she reached out with her free hand and pulled him into a hug almost dislodging all the glassware from his tray. Discarding her glass, she reaches up and strokes his cat ears feeling the silky softness between her fingers. After a moment she released Hayate from her embrace and smiled widely at him, her eyes revealed a deep sorrow despite her joviality.

"I wish I had a daughter like you," her light tone laced with sadness. She downed her glass of red wine and grabbed another off his tray and then composed herself. "I'm Madame Red. Are you a new maid here?"

Hayate bobbed a small curtsy and nodded in response. Before he could reply he felt a tingling in the back of his neck. He looks around, searching for the source of the sensation and sees the man from before, watching him.

"Ah Madame, do you know that man over there," he pointed towards the suspicious man against the wall who was still watching them. "It's just...he keeps staring at me."

Madame Red turned around in her seat to look where Hayate had indicated. She waved a hand dismissively at him. "Oh, Grell? Don't mind him, he's harmless. He's just my useless butler."

The orchestra started playing the first waltz and Hayate took the opportunity to escape, politely excusing himself. He made his way back to the refreshments tables and replenished his tray. He watched as one by one couples made their way to the dance floor. Hayate saw Finny drag Maylene out on to the floor and spin her in circles, squeals erupting from her lips as she was spun faster, joy on Finny's face, terror on Maylene's.

Bard approached him and gruffly asked him for a dance, scratching the back of his head with one hand, a sheepish look on his face and his eyes averted. Hayate looked around him, hoping that the request had been directed to someone else, but sees no one else in the vicinity. He considered. Then consented. It was a ball after all. He allowed himself to be led out onto the floor. The pair cut across the room, Bard's sweaty hands enclosing Hayate's as he brought him out of a turn. They dance in silence, Bard's steps out of time with the music as he concentrated on his feet. Hayate was watching his feet too, trying his hardest not to get them stepped on by his flustered dance partner.

When the dance ended, Hayate quickly extracted himself from Bard's arms and retreated to the relative safety of the wall, leaning heavily against it. The headache that had momentarily been forgotten came back with a vengeance, aggravated by all the spinning. Once his head had calmed down, he pushed himself back off the wall and went about his duty serving people on autopilot until the night had ended and the last guest had finally left.

Hayate listlessly made his way back to his room, on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, blood pulsing through his temples and his eyesight wavering. He stumbled into the room, leaning heavily on the door frame in a bid to stay upright. The pale moonlight streaming in through single window softly illuminated the scene. Neatly folded on his bed lay his clothes. He groaned at the sight of them, having finally found them but the question of who put them there would have to wait. He threw off his cat-maid outfit, shoving it into the closet, chucking his day clothes in after it, too tired to care. He tugged on his nightclothes and crawled into bed. Within moments he was dead to the world.


	5. Chapter 5: Initiation: Japan

**Chapter 5: Initiation, Japan**

There was a sharp rap on Sebastian's door. The door opened with a bang.

"Sebastian, it is 6 o'clock, time to get-."

Klaus inspected the scene in front of him. The room was spotless, the bed made and the curtains drawn open to meet the rising sun as it made its appearance, the soft light gently illuminating the room. But there was no Sebastian.

Klaus frowned_. If Sebastian was not in his room, then where was he?_ He wandered through the mansion searching for Sebastian. He opened the doors to countless rooms but found nothing out of place in their interiors. In fact, every room he entered was spotless, the blue and gold décor sparkling in the early morning sun.

He finally found Sebastian in the kitchen. By this time it was well past seven thirty. Sebastian had long since finished breakfast preparations and had nearly finished making lunch for Nagi. He didn't look up as Klaus came into the kitchen, intent on arranging everything perfectly into the bento, but instead acknowledged his presence with a 'good morning'.

Klaus tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Sebastian to give him his attention.

After a moment, Sebastian looked up, wiping his hands on a tea towel, Nagi's lunch laid out perfectly in the bento box. He put the lid on the box and tied the cloth around it with care.

"Was there something you wanted, Klaus?" A smiling Sebastian enquired.

Klaus shook himself at the other man's words, having been focused on his mistress' lunch. It had looked divine. "Ah yes. It is time for you initiation." He brought one hand up to his face and adjusted his glasses, which gleamed brightly. "Follow me." He turned on heel and strode out of the kitchen, expecting the other man to follow after. Sebastian stayed where he was as he leisurely put away the unused ingredients and equipment. Klaus returned a moment later when he realised that the butler wasn't right behind him. His brow twitched in annoyance. "Hurry up," he snapped.

"One moment." Sebastian took his time and carefully put everything back in its rightful place, seemingly oblivious to the annoyance it caused the other man. When he had finished he left the preparation area and walked over to the door, making a sweeping motion and smiling at the head butler. "After you."

Klaus' brow twitched once again and strode out of the room, irritation stiffening his stride. He heard the footsteps of the temporary butler behind him and smiled, thinking about all the trials he was about to put him through.

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Sebastian stood in the centre of the room, refusing to kneel before someone who was not his master. The head butler standing across from him, his glasses glinting dangerously. The room's interior strongly resembled that of a dojo meshed with a study. On the panelled walls hung portraits of previous head butler and they watched on sternly, observing the spectacle that was about to take place. At one end of the room, the wooden floor was hidden by a large Persian rug on which sat a large leather writing desk and office chair. Behind the desk stood an overflowing bookshelf and a couple of filing cabinets frame by two large windows.

"Now, Sebastian, it's time for your imitation. You must pass this initiation in order to remain as a butler here. It is a trial that all butlers who wish to serve the Sanzenin Family must face." Klaus adjusted his glasses in anticipation, the lenses improbably catching the light. He made his way around to the desk and pressed a button. A door opened with a gentle whoosh. Beyond the door was a corridor lit with a bare light globe and a set of stairs descending into the unknown. Klaus sat down at his desk and told Sebastian to enter the corridor. Sebastian crossed the threshold and the door slid shut behind him. Klaus pressed another couple of buttons on his desk and a panel of monitor came down and blinked into life. Klaus smiled; this was going to be fun.

It took him a moment to locate Sebastian on the displays. He was further into the underground labyrinth than expected. He had already passed through the first room; various household items cum weapons lying strewn in his wake. The butler seemed unruffled; in fact he was smiling slightly as if in enjoyment. Klaus frowned; this was not how it was supposed to go. Sebastian was now entering the next chamber. The nursing robot number eight stirred to life.

"I have been waiting for you," it said in its pixelated voice. "It is so very boring down here, alone, with no one to play with." It would have smiled manically, if it were in its programing. It turned it cylindrical orange metal body to face the butler dead on. The robot pulled back on metallic tube covered arm and launched a lightning fast punch at his face, its arm extending to cover the distance. The hand came to an abrupt halt about a hand width from Sebastian's face, his own hand having caught the blow. He curled his fingers around the cold metal fist he had captured and began to squeeze. He moved his hand from in front of his face so he could look directly at the robot.

"If you wanted to play why did you not just say so?" With that last word he crushed the fist in his hand with the ease that one might scrunch a piece of paper and threw the ruined appendage away as if in disgust. The robot retracted its arm back to its natural length, its ruined hand sparking. The anger that always lay just underneath the surface erupted.

"I hate butlers. It is because of butlers that I got put down here."

Eight's eyes burned red and the secret panels in it torso and head opened to reveal rows of gleaming missiles and fired them at him without a moment's warning. Sebastian leapt backwards out of the way of the deadly assault. He backs into the wall as the first to missiles land to either side of him. He can't more back any further to get out of range. He scans the rapidly approaching rockets, looking for a way through. A spilt second later he launches himself across the room, skidding to a crouched halt behind the orange robot as the missile rained on the spot he had been standing, each hit resounded through the concrete walls and caused the ground to tremor with the force from each blast. The last projectile detonated revealing the hole it had gouged out of the solid concrete wall, twisted pieces of metal the remains of the steel reenforcement and rubble and dust continued to rain down. Sebastian brushed concrete dust off his clothes. He sighed. "Oh look. You've gone and gotten my clothes dirty. Now, that won't do. It looks like you need to be punished." Before Eight could respond and turn its hate-filled eyes on its sworn enemy - the butler, Sebastian flicked his wrists and knives appeared in his hands. He flung them at the robot and they buried themselves in the back of its neck utterly destroying the override and control panel as well as the motherboard. The robot toppled over with a hollow metallic _clang_, its limbs twitching as its systems shut down and the glow of its eyes faded away into nothing. Sebastian turned his back on the listless, mangled metal mess that lay on the floor surrounded by rubble the hilts of the knives that had brought about its downfall protruding from its neck like porcupine spines, and strode out of the room, flicking dust from his uniform until it was returned to its usual pristine state.

Sebastian now stood at the crossroads. At his back was the path he had just taken and the corridor continued to the left and right of him before they both disappeared around corners. Sebastian stood for a moment contemplating his options. He then turned to look directly at the hidden camera mounted in the wall and smiled. He very deliberately chose the left option and began to walk down the corridor, his heels clicking loudly on the concrete floor, as if he knew what was in store. Klaus frowned. _He cannot know what's down there! If I'm not mistaken at the end of left fork is the worst room in the labyrinth. But he seems to know exactly what he's doing, to so easily evade the traps of the maze. _During his musing Sebastian had advanced to the threshold of the room. He opened the nondescript door smoothly, its utilitarian façade telling nothing of the horrors that lay beyond it. The door swung outwards on its well-oiled hinge. Sebastian stopped, then calmly stepped forwards through the doorway...and kept on walking. His first step over the threshold unleashed the monsters. A fearsome beast burst from through the doorway at the other end of the room and slid to a halt, its claws leaving deep scratches in the solid concrete floor. Its gnarled face pulled back in a horrific snarl and its beady hate filled eyes were glaring with their full force at the figure that was still motionless in the other doorway, it was the kind of stare that would make any other man lose control of his bowel functions or at the very least make him quiver in fear. The beast dug its paws into the ground and bunched its muscles, ready to pounce. Sebastian took a step forward, then another. The beast rushed forward, charging at him. The butler seemed unruffled. He took another step forward; it was if the beast wasn't even there. The beast snarled its breath coming out in hot clouds as it launched itself at the unruffled man that had invaded its territory. It launched itself at and _through_ Sebastian. The beast flickered and disappeared. Before the last pixel had dissipated Sebastian was under attack yet again. Projectiles launched themselves from the wall. Sebastian kept his trajectory and kept up his slow, steady pace forward, dodging the projectiles with not a movement wasted. He was moving so fast that his image shimmered like a mirage.

He stepped over the boundary and there was utter silence. It was like a physical presence after the chaos of the last few minutes. Sebastian looked over his shoulder at the path of carnage that had been wrought in his wake and his only visible response was the slow creep of corners of his mouth into his characteristic smug smirk.

Klaus, from his position behind the panel of monitors, released a breath that he hadn't realised he was holding. He closed his eyes letting his racing heart settle down into its normal rhythm. He was relieved but also somehow afraid. _How did he get through the labyrinth without even a scratch? It shouldn't be possible. He went through it as if he were just going for a stroll in the park. Just who is this man? He cannot be human._

A door crashed open with a bang and there was a sudden rush of air as a black blur speed across the room. Klaus was startled out of his musing. He looked around him, not knowing what was going on and saw the door, the exit to the labyrinth, flung open and felt the ambient temperature drop. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a reflection in the monitors. Sebastian was standing directly behind him smiling in a serene, self-satisfied way but there was something about his manner that sent shivers down Klaus' spine. _When did he…?_

Sebastian leaned forward and put his lips close to Klaus' ear. "Satisfied?"

Klaus felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He gulped, begging his courage not to desert him now. He took a breath and pulled himself together and plastered a fake smile on his face. "Yes. You passed." A slight pause. "In flying colours. How did you manage that? I've _never_ seen _anyone_ go through the labyrinth like that! It was more than amazing, it was terrific. Who are you?"

Sebastian smile grew wider. "I'm just a hell of a butler."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**A/N** Ahhh It's been a long time since my last update. My humble apologies to everyone who has been reading and thank you for your continued support.  
Your feedback is always welcome. If anyone has any situations they want to see characters in or characters they want to see more of etc feel free to pm me.  
Un/fortunately, it looks like the next chapter will have plot (it's a travesty, isn't it? XD). It's partly written but as per usual with me there's no telling when I'll have it done. All I can say is Undertaker makes an appearance.

cut away scene from above: The hail of missiles on the shook the mansion to the foundations. In her bedroom, Nagi roused from her dreams. _Ah an earthquake? _She yawned and waited for the shaking to stop then rolled over and went back to sleep. As she felt the building begin to shake, Maria facepalmed and thought: _What on earth in Klaus doing?_


	6. Chapter 6: Investigation: England

**Chapter Six: Investigation, England.  
**

Ciel Phantomhive was seated at the head of the empty dining table. His blue suit wore to its usually immaculate perfection. Knife and fork in hand, he slowly devoured his breakfast. A freshly refilled cup of tea sat steaming on the table in front of him, within easy reach of his right hand. Hayate approached the table carrying a silver tray with the morning paper and mail. He picked up the paper and held it out to the boy.

"Young master."

Ciel took the paper from his butler with barely a glance at him. Hayate appeared to have settled in to life at the mansion, and was reasonable efficient - although not, of course, as efficient as Sebastian - and he seemed to get along well with the other servants. Ciel flicked open the tabloid and scanned the front page. "Another one..." he said, more to himself, a small frown crinkling him brow. He quickly leafed through the rest of the paper before setting it aside.

Hayate came forward again. "This also came for you." He offered the earl the tray with a wax sealed letter and a slim letter opener that shone dully in the morning light.

The boy's single blue eye widen when he saw the seal on the envelope. "Why didn't you give this to me first?" he demanded. He took up the letter opener and cut open the seal without waiting for an answer. He drew out the letter on crisp creamy white paper and read through the elegantly formed missive. He passed the open letter back to his butler to read. "Cancel today's lessons and prepare the carriage. We are going to London."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The carriage drew up across the street from a rather conspicuous premises. Hayate pulled open the door and helped his master alight.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" he asked, sceptical.

Ciel didn't even bother with a response and strode across the road coming to a stop outside the building in question. Hayate pulled open the door and followed the boy into the shop. The door closed with a soft click behind him and he blinked as his eye adjusted the dimness and sneezed as his nose was assaulted by the clinical smell of formaldehyde and other probably rather nasty chemicals, and oddly there was also the lingering smell of baking, of all things, that seemed incongruous with the surroundings. Littered about the shop, seemingly at random were elongate blocks, some lying flat while others upright, which on closer inspection were revealed to be coffins of different styles and ornateness. The walls were lined with dusty bookshelves; every available space occupied small boxes and jars. Some of the jars had… things suspended in them; Hayate didn't look too closely, he didn't think he'd like what he would see. There was a soft _pfft _that sounded suspiciously like a stifled laugh but could have just as easily been the voice of the wind playing trick on his ears. Hayate looked around him and jumped slightly when he saw a cobwebbed skeleton standing in one corner staring at him with its hollow eyes, its unseeing gaze piercing his soul, grinning broadly as if the joke were on him. Hayate looked away and let out a sigh of relief, it must have just been his imagination - the room was empty, there wasn't another soul bar the two of them, the place was dead still, as silent as the grave.

"Undertaker, are you in?" Ciel called out, looking about him with disinterest.

The door of a large upright coffin creaked open dramatically with a pinch of animosity. A tall slender man in robes down to his ankles and too longer sleeves stepped out and grinned creepily the younger boy. He had long silverly hair that fell past his waist with a thin plait down one side. His eyes were obscured by a long silver fringe. However, it wasn't his eccentric style that drew Hayate's attention but the angry scar running across his face and another across his neck. This was a man with a _past_, the sort of past you didn't want to look into as it might step into the present and hunt you down and haunt you. Oh, and he and for some reason wearing a frilly pink apron.

"Ah Earl, have you finally decided to try out one of my special custom made coffin?" He stroked the lid of the coffin he had just emerged from lovingly, his long, black fingernail poking out of his long, black sleeves.

The earl looked singularly unimpressed. "Do you have any information on the recent spate of deaths?"

"Maybe I do… but first you have to give me _that." _He looked a little distracted by something.

Ciel hesitated and sighed. "Hayate, tell him a joke."

Hayate blinked. "Sorry?"

"You heard me. Tell him a joke. He wants―"

"To be bestowed with the world's greatest laughs" Undertaker cut in, looking intently at the servant boy. "Where is Mr. Butler? And who is this?"

"Sebastian? He's in Japan fulfilling an assignment. This is Hayate. He's Sebastian's replacement until he gets back."

Undertaker surreptitiously took a step towards the older boy, still inspecting him with what felt like a piercing gaze though his eyes were still not visible through his veil of hair, raising the hairs on the back of Hayate's neck with the perceived intensity of his gaze.

"It seems like he has hidden talents not even he is aware of~" Undertaker said giggling softly as he slid a little bit closer.

Hayate looked startled. _Perhaps he was referring to the ultimate move that I'm supposed to be developing. But how could he know or even guess something like that? Is he the kind of person that can read a person's heart? His gaze certainly felt like he was looking at my soul. _He shivered. While the boy was distracted by his thoughts Undertaker had well and truly gotten in Hayate's personal space. A hand dove into his robes and lightning fast withdrew something and placed in gently on Hayate's head. He stepped back to admire his handiwork, grinning.

Hayate was roused from his musing by a gentle and unfamiliar pressure across his head from the band the mortician had placed there. "What did you put on my head?" he asked, slightly creeped out by Undertaker's smile. He reached up tentatively and delicately felt the object on his head with his fingertips. "C-cat ears?" His voice rose and a slight blush coloured his cheeks, his manner immediately becoming more effeminate. "Why would you do such a thing?"

Undertaker's grin just grew wider and he giggled. "Ahhhh~ That's it~ Perrrfect~ 3 "

Hayate blushed further at the funeral director's words and intense, amused scrutiny. Moe~.

Ciel put his finger on what had been bothering ever since Hayate's reaction to the cat ears. "You're that blue haired maid from the ball…"

Hayate nodded numbly. "Yes. Someone knocked me out and when I woke up I was wearing those clothes… I would have changed but my clothes were gone and I didn't have time to find them as the ball was starting." He averts his eyes from his master's, embarrassed.

Undertaker watched the exchange between the two boys with ever growing amusement, watching transfixed by every miniscule reaction of the young butler, fascinated at his change in persona. The skeletal man was soon rolling on the floor in hysterical laugher. Eventually, he sobered up and stood up and shook himself down, wiping away tears of laughter. "Ahhhh~ You truly do have hidden depths~" he said, still smiling like a maniac. He sat down on a coffin and arranged himself carelessly, leaning on one arm, fingers curled around the lip of the coffin, long nails clicking softly against its lacquered surface, the other arm draped listlessly beside him, the fabric of the sleeve fanning behind it. He sat hunched over and looked at the two boys, his attitude becoming businesslike – well, for him anyway. "So~ What did you want to know?"

The earl briefly explained the contents on the royal letter and as many of the details that he did know, which were few.

"Ah yes~ I've had some customers like that. Very odd they were too… There didn't seem to be anything wrong with them. They'd just withered away and died. It's four I've had like that now, in the past couple of weeks - all male and not bad lookers if you like that sort of thing." He inspected his nails on one hand, seemingly bored, having come to the end of his narration. "Anything else I can do you for, milord?"

"There's nothing else you can tell me about the bodies?"

Undertaker shrugged. "No. Other than that they were all from the same hospital, which I'm sure your detective friend will tell you. Oh~ and that their state was unnatural." He pulled out a cookie from a hidden recess in his robe and bite off one end, evidently having nothing more to say.

"What do you mean 'unnatural'?" Ciel asked sharply.

Undertaker shrugged and stood up. "I wonnderr~" He wandered over to a shelf and started fiddling with the grotesque objects on it, clearly dismissing them.

"Tch. Let's go. He's not going to tell us anything else." The Phantomhive Earl said, disgusted. He turned on heel and strode out of the mortician's shop.

Hayate stayed where he was for the moment, watching the raven haired boy leave. He approached the older man pulling the cat ears off his head. "Undertaker? Here." He offered the band to him.

The undertaker turned to look at the boy, grinning. "You keep it, boy. I daresay it suits you better than me." The funeral director showed Hayate to the door. "I like you. Visit again. Now~ you'd better hurry. The earl's getting impatient."

Hayate slipped the ears into a pocket and rushed out the door, mumbling something about possibly coming again. The mortician waved him off, knowing that there was little possibility of him seeing the boy again as he was out of his time. He watched as the carriage pulled away from the curb and with the clatter of hooves set off down the cobbled street. He pondered the boy, giggling, but also saddened by the imminent loss of a source of amusement that he had only just discovered and that had brightened his day. He went back inside to resume his duties holding the image of a blushing cat eared Hayate in his mind's eye, giggling softly to himself.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

**#AN: **Undertaker you troll. I didn't have a lot of control over what he said or did, he just went and did it... so don't blame me for his behaviour. Having said that I did have a lot fun writing this chapter. Undertaker's a fun character to write because to a certain extent he writes himself.  
Hopefully we'll get a better idea of what's going on in Hayate's next chapter.  
Why is it that I get the urge to write just when I really should be studying hard? *facepalm*  
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


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